Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk04/2022

Task Force Composition

As reported by OSINT at the morning of January 29


As reported by OSINT at the morning of January 29


Weekly Brief

A large influx of Russian warships was noticed during this week with the arrival of two groups of amphibious warships. Both groups are composed of three amphibious landing vessels, one from the Baltic and one from the Northern Fleet. Both groups will be involved in a interfleet naval exercise in the eastern Mediterranean later next week. This exercise will be held together with a Pacific Fleet task force that was last reported in the Gulf of Aden [a].
Intelligence collection vessel RFS Vasiliy Tatishchev was last reported north of the Balearic Islands where it was hailed by the French La Fayette class frigate FNS Aconit. The RFS Vasiliy Tatishchev appears to be heading to the French Mediterranean coast where it will most likely observe the departure of the French carrier task force when it commences its deployment, called operation Clemenceau-22. US Navy destroyer USS Ross will be part of this task force, at least for the initial phase of the French deployment [b].

Daily Events

January 22
Aleksandrit class minehunter RFS Vladimir Emelyanov transitted through the Bosporus and headed towards the Mediterranean [1] [2].

January 23
Rescue tug Sergey Balk headed from the Black Sea towards the Mediterranean [3]. The vessel was observed in the Bosporus around 11:26 local time [4].

The French Navy reports that La Fayette class frigate FNS Aconit is escorting the Vishnya class intelligence collection vessel RFS Vasiliy Tatishchev. The RFS Vasiliy Tatishchev is reported north of the Balearic Islands [5].

January 24
Rescue tug Sergey Balk left the Dardanelles around 0700Z and is reported heading southwest into the Aegean Sea [6].
Around 1800 GMT, the rescue tug was reported in position 38.9N 25.8E and heading southeast [7].

Tapir class landing vessel RFS Orsk left the Mediterranean and was visually observed in the Bosporus [8] [9]. The passage took place at 16:15 local time [10].

January 25
Rescue tug Sergey Balk is reported in the northern part of the Aegean Sea [11]. It is possible that she is supporting the Epron.

January 26
A group of three Baltic Fleet Ropucha class landing vessels passed the Strait of Gibraltar [12]. This group consists of the RFS Kaliningrad, RFS Korolev and RFS Minsk and is shadowed by the US destroyer USS Ross [13].

January 27
Rescue tug Sergey Balk is reported in the central part of the Aegean Sea and heading on a southern course. The vessel spend about 48 hours north of Chios island [14].

A group of Northern Fleet amphibious landing vessels passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and entered the Mediterranean. The group was made up of the Ropucha class landing vessels RFS Olenegorsky Gornyak and RFS Georgy Pobedonosets and the Ivan Grenn class landing vessel RFS Pyotr Morgunov [15].

January 28
Rescue tug Sergey Balk remains reported in the Central Aegean Sea [16].

Ropucha class landing vessels RFS Kaliningrad, RFS Korolev and RFS Minsk are located northeast of Algiers during the morning. All three vessels reportedly continue heading east towards the Levant [17].

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